Fancy Dress and Candles

Halloween costumes have become popular with children who want to dress up and have fun during the trick-or-treat season. However, some dressing-up costumes and fancy dress items are made from highly flammable fabric and if worn near a naked flame, such as a candle or open fire, could easily catch fire. Halloween costumes are not subject to the same fire safety checks as normal clothing and are often retailed as a toy.

No Halloween costume is completely safe, but there are steps you can take to make sure your child’s costume is as safe as it can be by following the safety advice from the Chartered Trading Standards Institute.

Another risk to children, particularly around Halloween when used to light pumpkins, are candles. We recommend using a battery-operated LED candle in your pumpkin.

However, be aware that other people might use a real flame candle in their pumpkin on their doorstep and the risk of a child’s costume trailing innocently into a lit pumpkin decoration is truly terrifying.

Supervise your children and warn them about the dangers of real candles in pumpkins. If you have candles lit in your home, remember the following safety advice:
• Never leave candles or a fire unattended
• Put candles on a heat-resistant surface
• Supervise children and pets around lit candles
• Always extinguish a candle completely after use